All about the eggs: How long are they good after buying them?

Ah, the age old question that seems to be on everyone’s minds these days: How long are eggs good after you buy them?

Many eggs reach your local supermarket shelf only days after they're laid by a hen. You may see two dates on your carton of eggs -- a pack date and a sell by date.

The pack date denotes when the eggs were graded, washed and packaged in their cartons. The sell by date (which isn’t required by the federal government and only appears in select states, including Wisconsin) denotes the day that the eggs should be sold to maintain maximum freshness.

So, how long after the sell by date do you have on the life of your eggs? The answer: typically 2-3 weeks after the sell by date to use up your eggs without it affecting the quality of the egg as long as you stored them properly at temperatures that are 41 F or cooler.

After that time frame, there is a quick and simple test you can do to test the int-egg-rity of your eggs. Check out this diagram:

For more information on the storage, handling, cooking, and every egg question you come up with, go here.